Plural liquid-distributing system



pri l5, 1924.

v D. s. MORROW PLURAL LIQUID DSTRIBUTING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES D. S. MORROW PLUR-AL LIQUID DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM 'im MIM l will 4 mmm ein H :filed Dec. 6. 1922 3 Shee'cs-Sheet.` 3

A TTOHVEYS Patented Apr. 15, 192.4.v

Unirse stares DWIGHT SAYLES MORROW, OF MILAN, OHIO.

PLURAL LIQUD-DSTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

Application filed December 6. 1922.

To all whom it may concer/n: Y

Be it known that I, DWIGHT S. Monrtow, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milan, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Plural Liquid- Distributing Systems, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to plural liquid distributing systems and automatic distributors for use therewith.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a plural liquid distributing system having an automatic distributor so organized therewith and of such a character that a single pumping unit may be utilized to draw liquid from any one of a plurality of separate sources of supply and discharge the same into Va distributing system provided therefor without mixing the differentliquids, the distributing valve of the distributor being automatically controlled and shifted by the diiferential pressure of the system.

Another object is to provide a distributor 0f this character wherein the greater pressure occurring in the system and the pump suction is utilized to eifect shifting of the distributing valve and the maintenance of said valve in position.

A still further object is to provide a distributing valve so constructed and controlled that the valve is shifted positively and quickly and at the same time without shock,

' vibration or noise.

more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming partof this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, illustrating the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the distributor` parts being shown in section for the sake of illustration;

Serial N0. 605,292.

Figure 3 is a view in section on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4c is a view in section, taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3 and showing one position of the distributing valve;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure t but showing the other position'of the distributing valve;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the distributor; and Y Figure 7 is a detailview, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the construction of the distributing valve.

In the accompanying drawings, they invention has been illustrated as 'embodied in a dual water supply system in which hard and soft water is alternately drawn from the well and system respectively and discharged separately into separate tanks for subsequent use. It is to be understood however that the invent-ion is not limited to this specific embodiment butmay be employed whenever it is desired to utilize a single pumping unit to alternately handle one of a plurality of liquids from different sources of supply and deliver the same individually into separate distributing systems.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings the numeral 10 designates a pumping unit which may be of any conventional or standard construction. rlhe pump suction and discharge lines, designated at 11 and 12 lead to the automatic distributor, designated generally at 13 and hereinafter to be more fully described. This distributor is also connected with pipe lines 14 and 15 leading to the cistern or soft water supply and to the well or hard water supply respectively. The automatic distributor 13 is also con! nected with a soft water tank 16 by means of the'tank line 17 and with a hard water tank i8 by means of a tank line 19.

The automatic distributor is shown to advantage in Figures 2 to 6, inclusive, and preferably comprises a main or distributing valve casing 2O preferably in the form of an elongated cylinder having its ends closed by plugs 271. Preferably all of the parts of the automatic distributor are made up of brass or other non-corrosive metal.

The pump suction line 11 is connected to the valve casing 2O by means of a nipple 22 surrounding a pump suction port 23 formed in the wall of the valve casing. Preferably this pump suction port takes the form of a section of an annulus, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The pipe 14 which leads to the cistern or source of sott water supply is connected to the valve casing 20 by a nipple 24 located above the nipple 22 and spaced therefrom an angular distance ot 1800, the nipple 24 surrounding the sott water inlet formed in the wall of the valve casing 20 and also taking)r the form of a section of an annulus. Similarly the pipe is connected with a valve casing` 2O by means of a .nipple 26 which however is located below the nipple 22 and arranged at an angular distance of 9()O from both the nipples 22 and 24, this nipple 26 surrounding the hard water inlet port 27 provided in the wall of the valve casing and taking the l t'orm of the other ports heretofore described.

The pump discharge line 12 is connected by a. nipple 30 to the lower part of the valve casing 2O that is to the part thereof which lies on the opposite side of the center of the valve casing from that on which the suction and inlet ports are located. This nipple 30 surrounds the pump discharge port 31. formed in the valve casing 20. Above the pump discharge port and spaced an angular distance of 130O therefrom a nipple 32 is provided and serves to connect the soft water tank line 17 to the casing. This nipple 32 surrounds an outlet port 33. Similarly a nipple 34- serves to connect the casing 22 to the hard water tank line 19, the nipple 34 being located below the nipple 30 and being angularly equi-distant from the nipples 30 and The nipple 34 surrounds the hard water out` let The outlet ports and pump discharge port all take the form of the section of an annulus.

It is to be noted that with this arrangement the suction port and inlet ports are grouped together at one side of the center of the valve casing and in the arrangement shown at the upper end of the valve casing whereas the discharge port and outlet ports are grouped together at the opposite side or lower end of the valve casing. The spacing` of the ports 23 and 27 and of the ports 31. and along the loneltudinal axis of the valve casing is pre1'- erably substantially as shown in ths drawings but the angular spacing;- of these ports and their nipples which is shown to advantage in Figure 6 may be varied as may be Jfound convenient and desirable.

A multiple piston distributing valve, designated generally at 36 operatively arranged in, the valve casing' 20. The valve 36 is made up of two similar sections. designated at 37 and 33. The section 37 includes a reduced body portion 39 and working heads L'l0 and 41 and similarly the section 38 includes a reduced body portion 42 and working heads 43 and 44. The sections 37 and 38 are provided with axial bores which are alined in the assembly and through which a rod 115 extends. Nuts 46 are threaded on the ends of the rod 45 and serve to secure the sections in assembly as well as to secure in position leather cup washers 47, a8 and 4-9. The leather cup washer -l-S is interposed between the sections 36 and 37 while the cup washers fl-T and 49 are disposed at the ends of the valve, as shown in Figure 7 and are engaged by metallic washers 50 which in turn are engaged by the nuts 46.

ln the assembly the working heads 40, al, 43 and i4 control respectively the ports 25, 27, 33 and The pump suction and discharge ports 23 and 2a are not controlled by the heads ot the valve but are always open. As clearly shown in Figure a in one position of the valve the heads 4() and 13 close the ports 25 and 33 leaving the ports 27 and 35 open whereas in the other position ot the valve as shown in Figure the heads L11 and 44 close the ports 27 and 35 leaving the ports 25 and open. Between the ends of the valve and the ends of the valve rasinpr constituted by the plugs 21 are defined spaces designated at 51 and 52. It is the function oit the washers -l7 and 4:9 to prevent leakage into and from these spaces 51 and whereas it is the function of the washer 41S to prevent leakage past the working heads 4-1 and 43. These leather cup washers l17. -18 and 49 while providing for proper packing of the valve do not preclude or impair its capacity to readily partake of the necessary movements.

Means is provided Ator automatically shiftin;y and maintaining the distributing' valves 36 in position in accordance with the differential pressure occuring` inthe system, and preferably comprises a. cylindrical Valve casing somewhat smaller than the valve casing 20 and which may be conveniently disposed at one side thereof, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and This casing` 6() is closed at its ends by plugs 61 and in the casing a controlling valve 62 is arrangedV and includes a stein 63 having workling heads 64 and 65 at its ends. The ends of the casingY 60 are respectively connected by small pipes or tubes 66 and 67 with the nipples 32 and 34, respectively, so that the pressures existing at the outlet ports 33 and are transmitted to the ends otthe casing 66 and consequently are operative against the working heads 64. and 65, respectively. It obvious that the pressures which exist at the outlet ports 33 and 35 are the pressures obtaining in the tanks 16 and 18. respectively. A pipe or tube 66 extends from the center of the casinpv 60 to the nipple 22 .so as to establish coninnmication between the suction port or suction line o'ln the pump and the center of the casing 60. Connections in the form of small pipes or tubes 70 and 71 extend from points intermediate the center and the ends of the casing 60 to the ends of the main valve casing 20, as clearly shown in Figure 2. lVith this arrangement the greater pressure and pump suction are utilized to shift and hold the valve 36 in position, as will presently appear.

In operation, assuming that both the tanksV 16 and 18 are empty, and the valves 36 and 62 arc in position in full lines in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the pump suction will be exerted through the port 2-3 and inlet port 27 to draw liquid from the well or other source of hard water supply through thepipe line 15. The water thus drawn in through the pump is discharged through the discharge line 12, pump discharge port 31v and thence out through the outlet port 35 t-o the tank line 19 from whence it flows into the hard water tank 18. At this time it will be noted from anV inspection 'of' Figures 2 and 3 that the pump suction is exerted through the tubes 68 and 71 against the lower end of the main valve 36 to hold the same down. If any pressure existsV in the soft water tank it would be exerted against the upper end of the main valve 36 through the tube 66, the valve casing and the tube 70 but in the assumed phase of the operation no such pressure exists in the soft water tank. At the same time such pressure as may exist in the hard water tank is exerted against the lower head of the valve 62 through the tube 67. When the pressure in the hard water tank reaches a predetermined point and preferably when it reaches a. value of fifteen pounds to the square inch it will be sufiicient to shift the valve 62 from the position shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. When the valve 62 is so shifted the action of thepump suc`V tion on the valve 36 will be reversed in that it willthen operate on the upper end of the valve 36, the pump suction being exerted through the tube 68, the portion of the valve casing comprehended between the working heads 64 and 65 and the tube or pipe 70. At the same time the pressure in the'hard water tank will be exerted against the lower end of the valve 36 through the tubes 67 and portion off the valve casing lying below the head 65 and the tube or small pipe 71. The combined action of the suction and greater pressure eifect a quick and positive shifting of the valve 36 from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5. In the position shown in Figure 5 the working heads 41 and 44 lap and close the ports 27 and 35 so that the pump no longer forces the hard water a into the tank 18 but draws the water from the cistern through the pipe 14 and ports 25 and 23 and discharge this soft water through ports 31 and 33 into the tank line 17v from thence it flows into the soft Water tank 16. This action continues until pressure in the soft water tank reaches a predetermined value, preferably until it reaches a pressure of fifteen pounds per square inch greater than the pressure existing in the hard water tank, pressure exists the valve 62 is shifted from thepo-sition shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 back to the position shown in full lines tive of the direction in which the valve moves, it encounters the resistance of the fluid being handled since such fluid is always present in the spaces 51 and 52 and yieldably opposes the movement of the valve on each completion of its shifting motion. However the shifting of the valve is positive and speedy since the greater pressure and the suction both act on the valve to produce the shifting movement. This quick. and positive motion is obtained without the use of springs or other mechanical devices or without the. employment of any source of power extraneous to that necessarily used for other purposes in the system.

Of course it will be understood that 'standard and conventional means well known yto thosel skilled in the art is employed for automatically cutting off the pumping unit when both tanks are full and for starting the pumping unit when the pressure in said tanksV falls below a predetermined value.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described. a distributing valve comprising a casing having pump suction and a pump discharge port and a plurality of sets of inlet and outlet ports, a vmultiple piston distributor valve arranged in the casing and coacting with the ports for selectively establishing communication between the suction and discharge ports and any one of the sets of inlet and outlet ports, and a control valve including a casing havingits opposite ends connected with the` outlet ports and its center connected with the pump suction, said control valve casing also having connection intermediate the center and each end with the opposite ends of' the distributingr valve casing and a controlling valve movable in the controlled valve casing and operated by a predetermined differential pres- Nhen this differential port sure at the outlet ports to place the outlet at which a predetermined greater pressure exists in combination with one end of the distributing.valve casing and to place the opposite end of the distributing valve casing in connection with the pump suction.

2. ln a device of the character described, a. distributing valve comprising a casing having a pump suction and a pump discharge port and having a. plurality of sets of inlet and outlet ports, a distributing valve arranged Within the casing and coacting with the ports for selectively establishing communication between the suction and discharge ports and any one of the sets of inlet and outlet ports and a control valve operatively associated With the distributing valve for automatically shifting said distributing valve, said control valve being in communication with pressures o't the outlet ports of the distributingy valve whereby said control valve is operated by a predetermined differential pressure.

A valve mechanism comprising a distributing valve having outlet ports and a control valve, each ot said valves including a ported casing provided With a valve movable therein, the ports of said control valve being in communication with the outlet ports of said distributing valve whereby a predetermined difference in pressure existing at said ports Will function to move the control valve Within the casing.

4. In a device of the character described, a distributing valve comprising a casing having a pump suction and a pump discharge port and a plurality of sets of inlet and outlet ports, a distributing valve arranged in the casing and coactingvvith the ports for alternately establishing communication between the suction and discharge ports and any one of the sets of inlet and outlet ports and a control valve having a casing and a valve movable therein, the casing being connected with the outlet ports, the pump suction and the opposite ends of the distributing valve casing for automatically shifting the said distributing valve.

5. The combination with a plural liquid distributing system including separate sources of liquid supply and separate tanks and a single pump, an automatic distributor comprising a distributing valve casing connected to the tanks, to the source of supply and to the pump, and ya distributing valve movable Within the casing and operating to connect the pump With the source ot supply and the tank of one ot the systems and to entirely disconnect the pump trom the other system, and means operative through the di'erential pressure existing in said systems to apply the greater pressure and the pump suction to the opposite ends of the distributing valve to shift and hold the same in position Within the casing.

G. The combination with a plural liquid distributing system including separate sources of liquid supply and a separate tank Vfor each liquid and a single pump, of an automatic distributor comprising a distributing valve casing having a pump suction and a pump discharge port connected with the pumpand having a plurality of sets of inlet and outlet ports, one such set being provided for each tank and each set being connected with its tank, a multiple piston distributing valve movably mounted in the casing and operating to alternately establish communication between each pump suction and discharge port and one set of inlet and outlet ports, and a control valve including a controlling valve casing having its opposite ends in communication with the outlet ports of the distributing valve and its center in communication with the suction of the pump and also having its sections intermediate its center and either end in communication with the opposite ends of the distributing valve casing and a controlling valve mounted in the controlling valve casing and operated by the dili'erential pressure existing at the outlet ports of the distributing valve casing to place the outlet port at which a predetermined pressure exists in communication With one end oit the distributing valve casing and to place the opposite end of the distributing valve casing in communication with a pump suction to automatically shift the distributing valve when a predetermined differential pressure exists.

yDWTGHT SAYLES MORROVV. 

